It Can Be
by Jaiaelle
Summary: After Lois' life is in peril once more, will Clark finally tell her how he feels? And what will Lois' reaction be? Future Clois fic.
1. Part One

**_It Can Be_**

**Author's Note: This will contain spoilers for episodes up to Hex and will contain possible spoilers for future episodes, plus a lot of my own speculation about future events in the SV-verse. It takes place about a year or so in the future. Please read and review. Every review is like a piece of a gold to me! ;-) But, seriously, I do value each review. Thanks!**

"What do you think?"

Eyes wide with an expression akin to horror, Clark simply regarded the red and blue costume that Oliver had laid out on the couch, dumbfounded. His mouth flailed open, after a moment, but only grunting sounds emerged from deep in his gut.

"Well," said Chloe, trying to hold back her grin. "I like it."

Clark's eyes shot to Chloe, incredulity shining through.

The blonde simply shrugged, then moved behind the conglomeration of computers that the team of superheroes lovingly referred to as the "Watchtower Switchboard."

The other two members in the room, apparently unable to hold in their laughter any longer, burst out in long peals at Clark's reaction to Oliver's unveiling of the costume  
Clark had so long protested against.

"Dude," hooted Bart. "You should see your face."

A.C. attempted to further comment but couldn't seem to catch his breath.

"Just try it on," Oliver sighed, picking up the thing and tossing it at Clark. "And don't forget this," he added, dangling a blue oval shaped item from his finger.

"A mask?" questioned Clark, grabbing the slip of blue. "I don't need to wear a mask."

"Uh, yes you do. Think about it Clark. If someone saw your face, they would know who you were. And there is one person in particular you seem to rescue more than anyone else. That same person knows you pretty well and if you slipped up -"

"I get it," grunted Clark, getting ready for a fast change. "Lois would figure out my secret if she saw my face." A few seconds later, he looked down at his body, now clothed in red and blue leather. "It's kind of…tight. Don't you think?"

Struggling against merriment, Chloe bit her lip, glancing at Oliver, amazed that he was able to keep his cool so easily. "Nooo…"

"Of course it is," Oliver interjected. "You can't race around saving people wearing loose clothing. This helps with aerodynamics."

Not pleased with the explanation, Clark frowned, trying to find a rebuttal, when Chloe's cell phone rang.

"Oh," she gushed, glancing at the caller id. "It's Jimmy. Everyone be quiet."

A.C. and Bart rolled their eyes before strolling to the kitchen, most likely intending to "carb up," as Bart called it, before heading out on their mission.

"Hey Jimmy," Chloe sang. "What's… What? Lois got a…she got a what?" Chloe's tone turned from loving to afraid in a second. "Well, yes, I know that's what she always wanted… Hey, can I call you back?" Face pale, Chloe lifted her eyes to Clark's. "Um, Clark. You're here."

"Yes." Clark and Oliver exchanged looks, both wondering at the sanity of their friend, before Clark went on. "And…"

"And Lois is on her way to meet you somewhere. Well, actually, the Red Blue Blur. She got note from him - you. Which doesn't make sense because you're -"

"Here," finished Clark, looking concerned. Straining his ears, Clark listened for a sound he had become accustomed to in the past several years of his life. "I can hear her heartbeat. She's on the other side of the city. It's beating at a normal pace -"

"Wait, wait," interrupted Oliver, holding up a hand. "You can distinguish Lois' heartbeat from other people's heartbeats?"

Uncomfortable, Clark shifted a bit. The retort that he was trying to come up with died away on his lips as the pounding of the familiar heartbeat increased. "She's in trouble. I have to go." And in less than another heartbeat, he was gone.

In his wake, both Chloe and Oliver stood, eyes fixed on where he had just been standing. "When is he going to man up and tell Lois how he feels?"

"I don't know," chuckled Chloe, glancing at one of the computer screens. "Speaking of which, Dinah called earlier…"

Face impassive, Oliver raised one eyebrow at her, then exited the room, leaving Chloe to shake her head at him as well.

* * *

Lois Lane was not stupid. The Red Blue Blur sending a note to her desk, asking her to meet him at an abandoned warehouse in the slums seemed more than a little odd, but her curiosity wouldn't allow her to simply pass by what could be an amazing opportunity. Carefully and quietly, she tread the ground outside of the huge building, staying in the shadows. At the side door, she paused, frowned, questioned herself for actually showing up, then pushed the door open, praying it wouldn't creak. When it didn't, she let out a whoosh of air and tip toed in, keeping behind a row of barrels. Trying to retain her cover, she peaked out from behind a barrel to see the empty floor space.  
_  
Maybe he's running late,_ she thought. _Or maybe the note wasn't even from him. But why would anyone want to - _Her train of thought ran aground as her lips quirked. Actually, her hard hitting reporting skills had made her the target of many a mobster, dirty business man, etc. She really had too long a list of nemeses to narrow it down to one person or one group of people. Perry told her having so many enemies also had something to do with her winning personality but such statements only caused her roll her eyes.

The sound of a pipe dropping from somewhere within the warehouse brought Lois out of her reveries. Pressing her back against the wall, Lois listened for more sounds. When none came, she decided to sneak out and head home. A meaty hand, coming seemingly out of nowhere, stopped her, grasping her upper arm.

"Hello sweetheart," growled the most repulsive looking man Lois had ever laid eyes on. His vice like grip held her fast and the size of his fists gave her pause in battling him.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"I'm the Red Blue Blur," he slurred before spinning her around and throwing into the middle of the ground to land at the feet of another man.

Glancing up at him, from her position on the cold concrete, she saw a tall man dressed in all red and blue, a large mask obscuring his face. "Actually," said the man. "I'm the Red Blue Blur."

The voice sounded familiar but Lois couldn't quite place it. "No, you're not."

"You're right," the man admitted, a laugh escaping his lips. "I'm not. But I would like to meet him and since he loves rescuing you, I thought I'd, well, use you Ms. Lane."

Incensed, Lois struggled to stand but the ugly man's booted foot on her back kept her pinned down. "You can't catch him, you know," she told the man through gritted teeth. "No one can."

"We'll see," the man replied, lowering his head to look in her eyes. When he did, a  
shiver ran involuntarily down her spine. Something evil was lurking behind his eyes and…something familiar as well.

Her wish to further deride the man was not fulfilled as another man, somewhat smaller than Ugly Face, approached her with a long needle. Not at all dubious as to what the effects of the liquid in the syringe would have on her, Lois only flinched when something sharp pricked against her skin. Then, rather quickly, sleep came over and she drifted off.

It seemed that only minutes had passed when she awoke, groggily, to the sound of rushing wind. Chilled, her teeth began chattering. Her mind struggled to recall the events that had transpired before she lost consciousness. Slowly, the scene replayed itself in her mind and her eyes snapped open. She was too drugged, however, to keep them open for long and soon they were shut again though Lois was aware of voices talking from the cockpit.  
_  
The…cockpit?  
_  
Blinking one eye open, she looked around to find that she was in a helicopter. The man in red and blue was kneeling over, the mask barring her from making out any of his countenance besides those chilling eyes. "Ms. Lane," he soothed her, one hand stroking her brow, which made her want to vomit. "I'm glad you're awake. Now comes the crux of my plan. I'm going to throw you out of this helicopter. But don't worry. I'm sure the hero in red and blue will make sure that you land safely on your feet. Then he will come after us…and you can figure out what happens next."

If her tongue hadn't turned to lead, she would've responded, but instead she just stared up at him, hatred in her hazel eyes.

"Let's get to it then," he said standing and gesturing to Ugly Face.

She felt his arms around her then she was lifted from the metal floor of the helicopter. Fear filled her as he dangled her out the helicopter's door. Then, without any warning, he had let go and she was falling down, down, down….

* * *

A frustrated Clark raced out of the warehouse and down the street. Cocking his head, he listened for Lois' heartbeat and began to panic when his ears couldn't make out the sound. Hoping that he hadn't been too late, and that her heart rate had only decreased, he took a leap and landed on the top of the nearest tall building. Unfortunately, the building wasn't tall _enough_, so he took a giant leap and crashed unto the roof of the Daily Planet. Not too far in the distance, he spotted a helicopter - and a person falling out of the helicopter. His heart in his throat, he realized that it was _Lois _hurtling to the ground. Relieved the Lois was alive and anxious that she wouldn't be for long, Clark took another jump. He caught her just as her body came level with the top of a building and he cradled her to his chest, blinking against the stinging tears in his eyes. He buried her head in his chest and was surprised when she murmured, "Clark?"

Body shaking, he lifted his gaze to the helicopter, seeing someone staring out at him. Rage filled him but he kept it in check, struggling to fight against the urge to murder whoever had sought to harm his Lois. The anger quickly dissipated when he realized he was floating. Flying.

He didn't have long to concentrate on his newfound ability when a bullet zinged past his ear. Instinctively, he turned himself, allowing his body to be a shield against the bullets Lois' kidnappers were now shooting their way. Hovering closer to the ground, he found Lois a safe spot and left her leaning against the wall of a building. Then he zoomed up the helicopter, grabbed it, and yanked it behind him as he returned to the street. Onlookers were gathered on the sidewalks and Clark allowed himself to be momentarily concerned about their safety. In order to, hopefully, keep them safe, he slammed the helicopter, jarring the occupants so they fell to the street, in the process dropping their weapons. The three men scrambled out, dashing down the street. Clark was, of course, faster, and in an instant he had two of the men tied to the helicopter. Upon searching for the third, however, Clark found only a pile of red and blue clothing. Mouth in a straight line, Clark chose to check on Lois rather than continue the search for the mysterious man, believing that the task would prove fruitless anyway.

In two seconds, he was kneeling by Lois' side, his hand gingerly touching her face.  
"Lo-er, Ms. Lane? Are you okay?"

Groaning, Lois shifted her body, then whispered, "Clark?" again.

Trying not to grin, in spite of the situation, Clark swallowed, then said, "No. It's the…Red Blue Blur."

"Red…Blue…"

Sirens sounded from down the street and Clark stood up, twisting his head. Behind him stood a crowd of people gazing at him in awe.

Throughout the crowds he hushed voices speaking about him. "He's never stood still before." "I bet he's really hot behind that mask." "The Red Blue Blur…it's really him."

The emergency vehicles pulled up and Clark looked back down at Lois. "You're in good hands now Ms. Lane." Then he was gone, once more the Blur.

* * *

Frustrated, Lois yanked a comb through her hair, ignoring the pain in her scalp as she pulled out her own hair. "He was right there," she muttered to herself. "Right there, standing still, in a costume and all! And I was drugged! Drugged!" Giving up on her hair, she threw the comb across the room, not even hearing as it hit the wall and fell to the floor. "Ugh! I cannot belie-" A knock at the door interrupted her rant and she quickly crossed her apartment, part of her hoping that behind the door would be the man who had rescued her.

Unfortunately, it was only Clark.

Not reading the concern in his eyes, she opened her mouth, preparing to launch into a description of the evening's events but before she could, he had crossed the threshold, uninvited, placing an arm around her waist and entangling his fingers in her wet hair. Surprised, she allowed him to kiss her before she found herself kissing back. Her hands moved to his hair, her fingers running through his dark mane. Many times, she allowed herself to wonder what it would be like to kiss Clark Kent. Never had she imagined it would be at midnight on a Thursday - well, Friday now - while wearing her pajamas and bunny slippers, her hair dripping water down her back. As the kiss progressed, Lois realized that he was a really good kisser and she wished they would've kissed a lot sooner. Maybe they would have had that almost kiss at Chloe and Jimmy's wedding not been interrupted by - Mind reeling at the memory, Lois pushed Clark and stepped back from him. Hurt immediately filled his eyes but Lois held up a hand so that he wouldn't speak. "Just great, Smallville," she snorted, keeping her tone light. "Now things are going to be really awkward at the office."

"Lois," Clark said, voice low and full of emotion.

Shaking her head, Lois began ushering him to the door. "Look, I'm willing to forget it ever happened so why don't you just-"

"No!" he cried, spinning and facing her, grabbing her hands in his larger ones. His eyes of blue spoke the words of his heart before his voice could. "I'm not doing this anymore Lois, not pretending I don't feel something when I do. I love you."

Shocked at the anti climactic way the words fell from his lips, she stepped back but found he wouldn't let her go. "Clark-"

"I don't know for how long. Maybe since the first time I saw you and I just was too blind…too stupid. But I do Lois. I love you." His voice softened as the words kept flowing and, gently, he pulled her towards him. Dazed, Lois let him. "I don't just love you, I need you. I need you in my life. I know you've been in danger before but tonight, when I heard about what happened to you…it was, I don't know, different somehow. More real. And I thought about what my life would be like without you and…it made me feel empty."

Desperately wanting him to go on but knowing that everything had already changed too much, Lois wrenched herself from his grasp and moved across the room. "It can't be Smallville." At his hopes being dashed, the man before her wilted. Feeling devoid of strength, she took a deep breath. "It…just can't be. I'm sorry."

Without saying anything else, Clark exited her apartment, softly shutting the door behind him. Emotions caught in her throat, Lois remained frozen in place, at once wanting to run after him but letting her fears keep her rooted.

Several minutes passed before she sank to the ground and pressed her head into her knees, silent, hot tears soaking her through her pajama bottoms. From outside, a man clothed in red and blue floated outside her window, regret and pain etched in his features that not even the small mask could hide. When the hollow feeling became unbearable, he turned and flew away, not quite sure where he was going.

* * *

"But…you love him too Lois."

Her knuckles turned white as her hands tightened around the coffee mug she was holding. "I don't-"

"Stop it," chided Chloe. "I know it, Jimmy knows it, Oliver knows it."

Appearing horrified at the thought of her emotions being so evident, Lois opened her eyes a little wider. Then, sighing, she said, "It's that obvious, huh?"

"Only to those who really care about you," responded Chloe, settling on the couch across from Lois.

Swirling the brown liquid in the mug, Lois asked the question that had been on her mind since the night before. "But what if it doesn't work out? I…um…" She cleared her throat, not even comfortable talking to Chloe about matters of the heart. "Clark's special. Not like other guys. What if we dated for awhile, then things went awry and he exited my life for good? If we can't be together romantically, I at least want him in my life as friend."

Biting her lower lip subconsciously, Chloe pondered the best way to answer Lois' question. "I guess that's just a chance you'll have to take. I did, with Jimmy."

Arching an eyebrow, Lois said, "And look what happened there."

Blinking to hold back the tears at the now distant memories of her first few months as a married woman, Chloe nodded. "It was a train wreck for awhile there. But look at us now. We're working through those problems. We're still together. And we're happier than we have been in a long time. No one ever said relationships were easy."

Lois seemed to agree but she still did not appear consoled. "I'm glad that you guys are piecing your relationship back together."

Leaning forward, Chloe focused closely on Lois' eyes until her cousin finally made eye contact. "What's really bothering you about this Lois?"

Pausing, Lois wasn't sure she wanted to tell Chloe the real reason she had spurred Clark's advances the night before. "It's…a she."

"Oh," said Chloe, leaning back against the arm of the couch. "It's a Lana."

Embarrassed at her lack of confidence, Lois let her gaze linger on the center cushion which was unoccupied. "Every time that girl walks back into Clark's life, he jumps at a relationship with her. How do I know that she won't return in the future and he'll dump me for her? I just don't think…" The rest of the sentence stuck in her throat and she blushed at how open she was being.

"Well then, I guess you shouldn't give a relationship with Clark a chance. You should never allow yourself to discover what would happen if Lana did come back. He could be the love of your life but you don't want to take that kind of risk. After all, you're not really all that much of risk taker."

As she knew they would, Chloe's words caused a fire to burn inside of Lois. "That's…absurd. I mean, I'm absurd. You're right Chloe. I'm going to Clark's right now."

A goofy smile broke out on Chloe's face as Lois charged out of the apartment, a woman on mission. Her hands clasped together as she leaned back into the couch, already wondering what color bridesmaid dress Lois would choose for her. She looked good in yellow. She could probably persuade Lois to choose yellow….

* * *

The fire had fizzled out until it was barely a burning ember. Hopping from one foot to the other, Lois hesitated at knocking on the door of the Kent family house. It felt weird to even _be_ knocking. Usually, she strode right in, as if she lived there. In fact, she had for awhile… Just as she had decided to head home, the door swung open and Lois almost went into cardiac arrest.

"Clark!" she sang, her voice sounding sickeningly sweet even to her own ears.

Seeing her there seemed to cause no emotion in him. For a few seconds, he just stared at her. The sound of a dog barking and bounding across the house distracted both of them. The golden furred dog threw itself at Lois, yapping joyfully at one of his most favorite people.

"Hey boy," said Lois, dutifully scratching him behind his ears. Pleased at the action, the dog let out another happy ruff before running into the yard. Lois and Clark watched as the dog bolted from one side of the yard to the other, clearly demonstrating his happiness at seeing Lois.

"He really likes you."

There was no mistaking the scratchy quality to Clark's voice. Knowing that she was probably the source of the rough sound, she pivoted on her foot, hoping to convince him of her utter stupidity the night before. But she stopped as she realized that words hadn't always been her friend in the past, other than in print, so she decided to _show_ him what she really felt. Stepping closer to him, she gingerly placed a hand on his chest, over where his heart was, then lifted eyes full of vulnerability to his face. Clearly confused, he made no move away from her. Swallowing hard, she inclined her head more, allowing her emotions to be more visible in her eyes. The confusion melted away as he realized what was happening. A small smile touched his lips and he closed the distance between them, bringing his lips to hers. Just as before, the kiss took her breath away and she found herself completely lost in him, her arms snaking their way across broad shoulders. His arms wrapped around her waist with the intention of pulling her closer, though he couldn't seem to bring her close enough to him.

It was Shelby's wet muzzle pressed against Lois's leg that broke them apart. Both breathing heavily, they stared into each other's eyes before he brushed her forehead with his.

"So, does this mean it can be?"

Recalling her words from the night before, Lois grinned. "Yeah Smallville. It can be. It definitely can be."

Again the moment was interrupted by the dog, who laid a toy at Lois' feet. "Looks like he wants to play," commented Clark.

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint the dog that I'm highly allergic to."

"You know Lois," Clark said, grinning. "I think that's all in your head. I mean you haven't sneezed -" ACHOO! "- never mind."

Scrunching her face on one side, Lois grabbed the toy and tossed it across the yard. "Fetch boy!"

Eyes fixed on her, Clark felt happier than he had in a long, long time. As if to reassure him she felt the same, she looked at him, her face almost melting in the process.

"Come on Smallville," she said, her hand swinging to punch him in the arm. "Shelby's waiting!"

Smiling, Clark followed her across the yard, mentally noting that some things never changed.

And that was just the way he liked it.

_TBC..._


	2. Part Two

**_It Can Be_**

But some things did change and Clark was more than just fine with certain kinds of change, especially the kind where Lois fell asleep with her head nestled against his chest.

Smiling, he glanced down at the dozing Lois. He enjoyed the feeling of her breath tickling the hairs on his arm as it almost silently whooshed out of her mouth. Her warmth mingled with his, making him feel more than a little content as a movie played on in the background.

A muffled sigh exited Lois' mouth as she repositioned herself against him, not coming out of her apparently deep slumber. "Mmmm…"

They had only been "official" for a week but Clark already knew that she was the one he had been waiting for. All those times he had wondered who his soul mate would be…and it had been her…but he had been blind. Though his usual tendency made it easy for him to lament all the time they could've been together, the years that had passed while they had masqueraded as being "only friends," Lois reminded him that he had not been the only blind one. Then, in a typical Lois fashion, she chastised him for letting the past cloud what was going to be a great future for the two of them. They had _now_ and they needed to take advantage of it.

No one could set him straight like Lois Lane.

Taking her advice to heart, he had showed up at her apartment at eight in the morning, on a Saturday, only to be greeted by a pajama clad Lois with murder in her eyes.

"Do you know what time it is Smallville?" she had growled.

"Yes I do. I just wanted to take advantage of the time we could spend together in the present…"

At his smirk, and her words thrown back at her, she had slammed the door in his face, calling out a minute later, "I'll be ready in a bit."

One hour later, she had opened the door looking breathtakingly beautiful and a bit tired. "So," she had asked, slipping her arm through his. "Where are you taking me for breakfast?"

After eating at Lois' favorite diner, the two had headed to Smallville, where they planned to spend the rest of the day sequestered away from the world.

And so far, Clark believed everything had been perfect. They had traded their usual banter through a long walk and a leisurely lunch before Lois suggested hunkering down on the couch to watch _His Girl Friday,_ which was one of her favorite movies. When, in the middle of the film, Lois' breathing had changed, revealing that she was asleep, Clark's opinion of the day had only sky rocketed.

As Lois shifted once more, and the credits began to play, Clark knew that the rest of the day would continue to be just as wonderful…

- - - - - -

* * *

"So, they're happy together?" asked Jimmy, flopping onto the couch.

"Yup," replied Chloe from where she was shredding lettuce in the kitchen. "And I'm happy they're together too. It's about time!"

"I know what you mean," Jimmy replied, turning the television on and flipping it to the news. "I saw it long before you, you know."

"As you love to point out," Chloe chuckled, throwing the lettuce into a salad bowl.

At the ding from the oven, Jimmy jumped from the couch, striding quickly across the room to pull open the oven door. "Ah, the chicken is almost ready. Just a few more minutes. Is that salad almost done?" he asked, jabbing her side with his hand.

Pausing in the middle of slicing a tomato, she whirled to face him, grabbing his shirt to bring his lips to hers in a quick peck. Though her life was nowhere near normal, considering she was part of a team of superheroes, it was nice to have moments of normalcy with the husband she had almost lost. Things weren't yet perfect but Chloe felt that they were just right. It was true that she did keep secrets from Jimmy, especially concerning a dozen or so superheroes, but he seemed okay with it, at last. Except that he _did _know that she worked with them, though he knew she would never reveal to him their secret identities. When he questioned her as to how she even got the gig, she had played up her super computer hacker skills and he had accepted it. It was, after all, mostly true.

"Hey!" cried Jimmy as she pulled away. "I don't think _that_ can be considered a real kiss."

Grinning, she moved to kiss him again when a loud, hurried knock at the door interrupted them. Furrowing her brow, Chloe tilted her head, curious as to who would be visiting them. She happened to know the two most frequent visitors to the Olsen home were busy.

"Could it be a super friend?" Jimmy asked, looking a bit like a little boy.

Finding his youthfulness adorable, Chloe hated to shake her head and disappoint him but she did anyway. "They would call me on my special phone," she told him, exaggerating the word "special."

"Well then," Jimmy said, bounding to the door. "Who can this be?"

In a flash, he had thrown open to door only to reveal their mystery guest. Upon  
seeing the person standing there, both felt their jaws loosen.

"Uh," muttered Chloe, unsuccessfully masking her surprise. "Come in…"

- - - - - -

* * *

A loud growl roused Lois out of sleep and, embarrassed, as the growl had emanated from her stomach, she glanced up at Clark to see if he had joined her in her late afternoon nap. Seeing he had, she breathed in relief. It was strange that she even cared what Clark thought. After all, had he heard, it wouldn't have been the first time. The two had shared a roof and now sat across from each other on a daily basis.  
_  
I guess dating does alter some things…  
_  
"Hungry?" came Clark's voice from above her.

Startled, she sat up, moving her body away from his. At the teasing glint in his eye, she gave him her trademark punch in the arm. Inwardly rolling her eyes at herself for allowing herself to feel awkward around her best friend who was now also her boyfriend, she grinned at him, not caring if he heard her body making noises. At that moment, it chose to make another one, so Lois quirked her eyebrows at him and asked, "What do you think?"

"I think -" In mid sentence, he paused and cocked his head, as if listening to something.

Not at all puzzled by the vacant look on his face, for she had seen it there many times before, she waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Yoo hoo, Smallville? Anyone home?"

Brought back to reality, he stared at her then rose from the couch. "I think I'll go get us some pizza," he told her heading toward the door.

"Pizza sounds good…" she murmured.

At the soft tone of her voice, he pivoted to face her. "What is it?"

"Where do you go?" she asked, squinting her eyes. "In your mind. When you get that look."

Pursing his lips, he appeared about ready to share something with her but, after a second, seemed to decide against it. "I just zone out sometimes, I guess. I'll be back."

Without saying anything more, he was gone, leaving her with the dog, who had been lying on the floor in front of the couch but was now sitting, staring at her with those bewitching eyes of his. At least Lois figured they must be bewitching because she usually hated dogs but, for some reason, she adored Shelby. "While Clark's away, maybe you could help me with a story I've been working on."

Shelby barked in consternation at the remark.

"Yeah, I know," she grunted, sliding off the couch and onto her feet. "I promised Clark I wouldn't work today. But I know when I tell him the importance of this story, he'll understand." Shelby followed at her heels as she crossed the room to her purse. Reaching in, she pulled out a flash drive. Upon seeing it, Shelby woofed loudly. Feeling bad that she was even contemplating breaking her promise to Clark, and even more so because of the possessed pooch who seemed to know what she was intending to do, she slipped the flash drive back. "Right, I know. I say every story is important. While that's true, I won't break my promise to Clark. Okay boy?" Bending over, she patted the dog on the head before placing herself once more on the couch. "Now, let's see what's happening in the world…"

- - - - - -

* * *

It had been over an hour since Clark had left for pizza. But really it wasn't his fault. The world was full of people needing a hero and Clark, though he could move at super speeds and he could fly, could only be at one place at a time. Holding a hot pizza in one hand and a carton of ice cream in the other, he stood outside the door of his own house, fully expecting Lois to berate him for taking so long. Breathing deeply, he decided that he needed to tell her the truth. He couldn't be in a relationship with her while neglecting to tell her that one important fact about himself. His continual disappearing acts would only hurt her and that was the last thing he ever wanted. Steeling himself once more, he placed the ice cream carton on top of the pizza box and opened the door. Standing right behind it, arms crossed over her chest, was Lois.

"Long wait for the pizza, huh Smallville?"

Sending her an innocuous look, he passed by her and placed the pizza on the counter. "I got you some Rocky Road ice cream."

Moving to the counter, she opened the box and pulled out a slice of the meat covered pizza. "Ummm…" she hummed, sinking her teeth into a bite of cheese, meat, bread, and sauce. "Well, you got me ice cream, so I can forgive you," she assured him, after swallowing.

"Thanks for your generosity," he told her taking two strides in order to be by her side.  
"Well, you know me," Lois replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Just don't let it happen again."

Grinning down at her, he assured her it wouldn't, while knowing that it probably would but by then he would've told her his secret so, hopefully, all would be okay. When she stayed focused on the piece of pizza in front of her, instead of kissing him to make the apology and it's acceptance official, he almost lost it. He briefly wondered if she was playing some sort of game with him. It _would_ be like Lois to tease him in some fashion for his great tardiness. And she had to know what he wanted. Gazing at her face, he noticed that her mouth was attempting to stay locked in a straight line rather than break into a smile. In a second, he had removed the pizza from her hand and ended her protest of his actions by pressing his lips to hers. Instead of immediately shoving him away, she allowed him to kiss her and he tasted the pizza, which reminded him that saving lives had increased his appetite. They broke apart at the same time.

Their eyes didn't meet as Lois quickly recaptured her lost slice of pizza.

Holding in his laughter, Clark joined her in silently eating.

"I think," said Lois, after finishing a second slice. "This is the best pizza I've ever tasted. Or maybe I'm just really hungry because the delivery boy took so long getting the pizza here."

Snorting, Clark finished his piece before answering her charge. "I thought you forgave me."

Turning her head toward him, she pursed her lips and scrunched her brow, making for a very comical expression. "I did."

"That's why you brought it up again?"

"Did I? Well I didn't mean to imply anything Clark. I think you're the one holding onto it."

Narrowing his eyes, he regarded her with mock anger. "I'm the one…you know what Lois -"

Her laugh put an end to his statement and without any warning, she took a piece of the pizza, removed the toppings and smashed the saucy crust against his face.  
Stunned, he remained immobile while she darted toward the back door, chortling gleefully at her prank. The pizza slid down his face, down his shirt, leaving a red mark, and landed sauce side down on the floor, where Shelby promptly began consuming it. Ready to play her game of chase, a game he would inevitably win, he spun around, smile in place. Lois was already out the door and headed down the road. She stopped at the sight of a car zooming down the road. Upset that the game was already over before it had really begun, Clark sighed, squinting his eyes to see who had chosen to visit at such in a time. When his eyes focused on the driver's face, he found himself becoming slightly numb.

What was _she _doing here?

Apparently, Lois felt the same way. Her walk, at least, led Clark to believe that. The angered expression on her face only further fueled his belief.

The driver stepped out of the car, her eyes darting from Clark to Lois, then back to Clark again. Bounding down the steps, Clark headed toward her but Lois reached her first.

"Hello Lana," said Lois bitterly.

Swallowing, Clark regarded Lana then offered his own greeting. "What brings you to Smallville?" he asked, smoothly.

The woman in question fixed her eyes on him as she tried to understand what exactly was going on. Then, shaking her head, she bent over and retrieve something from the passenger seat of the car. "This," she said, taking a few steps to stand in front of Clark. As she passed him the folder of papers that she held, her fingers brushed against his hand. The slight touch revealed something and understanding dawned upon him. No painful reaction assailed him which meant…the kryptonite had been completely flushed from her system. After a moment, Lana realized that Clark had something red all over his face and smeared down the front of his shirt. "Clark…" she trailed off, cocking her head, clearly expecting an explanation.

Lois moved closer and, as she did, Clark began to smile. "This," Clark told Lana, gesturing to the red sauce. "Is a gift from Lois." Pausing, but still within reach, Lois arched an eyebrow at him. She had almost thought he had forgotten about her. With one finger, he wiped away a whole glob of sauce from his face and, before she knew it was happening, had spread it on Lois' nose. At his laugh, both women just stared at him.

"Oh Smallville," said Lois sweetly. "If I didn't feel the need to talk to Lana right now, I would kill you."

Biting his bottom lip to stop his laughter, Clark just gave her a look.

"You n-need to talk t-to me," stuttered Lana, looking more than just a bit nervous.

"Yeah, it will just take a sec," Lois assured her, an almost evil glint in her eyes.

"I'll, uh, be inside, looking over these." Clark shifted on his feet, curious as to what Lois might have to say to Lana but he had no intention of trying to persuade her against it.

Smiling, Lois spun towards Lana, looking more than a bit ridiculous with red pizza sauce on her nose. "The barn?"

"Uh, sure…" Lana replied, though she sounded anything but.

Once his feet landed on the porch, Clark let his gaze linger on his current girlfriend and his ex, before he opened the file in his hand, eyes drawn immediately to the words at the top of a piece of loose leaf paper. His mouth fell open as he focused on the words, reading them and re-reading them.

It couldn't be true…could it?

- - - - -

* * *

Lana Lang would never admit it to anyone but something about Lois Lane had always intimidated her a bit. Now, standing in the loft of the barn, she felt fear creeping along her scalp. Not wanting Lois to sense the fear, she plastered a smile on her face and waited for Lois to say what she wanted to say.

Lois, on the other hand, was having trouble controlling her rage. Last time Lana had breezed into town, she had captivated Clark once more, trapping him in a relationship. And then, just like the previous break up, she had stomped all over Clark's heart and left him. Although Clark had never talked to her about it, it was implied and Lois was certain that it happened just that way. She was just as certain that Lana was back to repeat history. And Lois wasn't about to let that happen. Even if Clark did love Lana more than her, something of which Lois wasn't quite certain, that didn't mean she was going to stand by and watch him get hurt. Finally, she managed to bring her anger into check and she started to speak to Lana, her voice so low that Lana had to move closer to hear. "I know why you're back Lana. I saw the way you touched Clark. But don't think I'm just going to stand by and watch you hurt him like you have in the past."

Biting her top lip, Lana nodded at Lois' words as she inwardly tried to figure out the best way to answer them. Obviously, she couldn't explain the truth to Lois, since that would involve revealing Clark's secret, but there had to be some way to make Lois understand that Lana hadn't wanted to walk out that last time. "Last time I left… I never wanted to hurt Clark… It's very complicated."

Lois narrowed her eyes at the smaller girl, while crossing her arms over her chest. "Isn't it always?"

"I understand your concerns," Lana went in, smiling a wide smile at the other woman.  
"But you don't have anything to _be_ concerned about. This time Clark and I will finally have our happy ending. I'm not going to hurt him, I promise."

So wrapped up in Clark and Lana fantasies was Lana that she didn't notice a faint sheen in Lois' eyes. Blinking a couple of times, Lois straightened her back, then looked Lana in the eyes. "You better keep that promise," she growled, threateningly.

Pulled out of her reveries, Lana's eyes shot to Lois. Suddenly, she understood. Lois had feelings for Clark. Sympathetically, Lana took a few steps forward and placed a hand on Lois' forearm. "I will."

Holding her head very erect, Lois didn't answer, just moved her line of vision past Lana, to the sky that stretched beyond the large outlook there.

Taking that as a sign, Lana left her alone, heading toward the house. The walk there seemed longer than it ever had before. At the door of the house, she paused, took a deep breath, then went inside. Her eyes grew misty as she watched Clark sorting through the papers she had given him.

Without moving, he spoke. "Is this true?"

She felt like she was floating as she came to stand beside the coffee table. "It is. But there's something I need to talk to you about before we discuss this."

Finally glancing up, he asked, "What?"

One trembling hand stretched down to caress his upturned face, reveling in the sight of his face not contorting in pain. "Us."

Obviously bewildered, he jerked his head back. "Weren't you just…talking about something with Lois?"

Despite her best efforts, her bottom lip still jutted out in an almost pout. She hadn't expected him to react in such a manner. She had thought that he would jump into her arms, declaring his undying love for her. "Yes. And…you should know something. Lois has feelings for you."

Squinting his eyes at her, he still remained in place. "She has… Did she say that?"

"It was obvious."

A strange look passed over Clark's face and for a minute Lana believed he might burst into laughter. He pressed his lips together once, then said, softly and slowly, as if to a child, "I know Lois has feelings for me…and I have feelings for her."

The words were like a blow to Lana's gut but instead of ceasing there he kept going.

"In fact, I love her. More than I've ever…" He cut himself, with a clearing of his throat. "I mean… What I mean to say is… Lana, you were my first love but Lois is- "

"No, I understand," Lana said, curtly. "It's perfectly clear to me that the last several months I spent at Star Labs, undergoing any experiment to rid my body of that suit, mean nothing. I did it for you Clark. For us." As she talked, her volume grew so low that if Clark hadn't had super hearing, he would've had to strain to hear what she was saying.

"I'm sorry," was the only way he could respond.

Unable to stop them, tears began to flow from her eyes. "If that's all you have to say, then maybe I should leave."

This time, he had nothing to say.

Feeling more pain than she ever had, Lana fled the Kent house, rushing past Lois, who seemed to be on her way to the house, jumped in her car and took off down the gravel road, little rocks flying everywhere.

Clark emerged on the porch just as Lois was hopping up the steps. One eyebrow rose as their eyes met and all she could do was send him a shrug.

"Was that a test?"

"A test?" Lois tucked a hair behind her ear, trying to appear innocent and failing miserably. "Why would I test you?" At the skeptical look on his face, she sighed, relenting. "Fine. I didn't tell Lana we were together because I wanted you to."

The skepticism faded away as he saw a flash of vulnerability on Lois' face. Stepping forward, he put both of his arms around her and pulled her flush against him. "Did you think there was a chance I wouldn't? Once upon a time, that might've been the case. But, Lois, you have to know how much I love you. How could I ever love anyone else after loving you? It's impossible Lane."

Trying to remain aloof, and not allow the tears of joy to spill from her eyes, Lois nodded, letting her fingers play with the material of Clark's t-shirt. "I am quite the catch, aren't I?"

In order to show her that she really was, he allowed his lips to meet hers in a heart stopping kiss. After a few minutes, he pulled away, asking, "What did you say to Lana then?"

Smiling, Lois said, "I'll tell you some other time…" And with that assertion, she was leaning in again, planning on kissing him and ending any further conversation.

However, he seemed to have other plans as he evaded her kiss. "Lois, you have to see what Lana brought. You'll never believe it…"

- - - - - -

* * *

Several miles away, Lana made a sharp right, bringing her car to a screeching halt by the side of the road. One small hand hit the top of the steering wheel, producing a spasm of pain that traveled up her arm. Thinking of Lois and Clark, together, as a couple, she cursed.

"It can't be, it can't be," she muttered, tears still falling.

Her whole body shaking, she tried to make sense of it but found she couldn't.

"It can't be…" Pausing, determination took hold of her as a plan began to form. "It can't be so it won't be…

_**Note: I think Lana may have been...er...a bit OOC so sorry if that disappoints anyone reading this...I think she may be more in-character next chapter. Please, if you read this, let me know what you think. Your thoughts are valuable to me! **_


	3. Part Three

**_It Can Be_**

On Monday morning, the bullpen was hopping and Clark couldn't get Lois alone for a minute in order to reveal the true identity of the Red Blue Blur. The day previous could've been a quiet Sunday where, sitting across from Lois on the couch, he could've shared the most intimate details of his life. Instead, he had spent the majority of the day in heroics while Lois had further investigated the information left by Lana.

Around lunch time, things began to settle down and Lois came to his desk, perching on her usual spot and looking down at him, a quirky smile on her face. Usually that smile meant that she had found a lead to chase. Holding in the breath he wanted to exhale, he reached for her hand, rubbing the pad of his thumb over her knuckles. "Hey, Lois, you have that face on."

"What face?" she queried, trying to suppress the look.

"The one that means you have a great idea for a story. The one that lands you in the middle of some crazy mess. The one where you almost die and the Red Blue Blur has to save you."

"Oh, Smallville," she replied, bending at the waist to give him a quick peck on the nose. "You know me so well."

Grimacing, Clark waited for Lois to tell him what lead she had found, and wondered how he could dissuade her from chasing it until after lunch. It was time the truth came out. But a soft voice in his ear gave him pause. "Lana's here," he told Lois, wondering why she had entered the Daily Planet and wishing she hadn't. It would be that much harder to tell Lois the truth with her hanging around.

"Lana?" Lois did not seem to be pleased with it either. "Well, you should be excited. Especially since you love her so much."

Noting the hint of teasing in her voice, Clark just rolled his eyes, placing a hand on Lois' knee so she wouldn't move.

"How do you know she's coming anyway?"

How he knew would take longer than thirty seconds to explain so he opted to, instead, greet the woman who was now approaching them.

"Lois, Clark," she said, sending them both a warm smile.

Both regarded her warily. "Hi Lana," said Clark at last.

"Lana," echoed Lois, icily.

Wringing her hands, she appeared very nervous. "I know what both of you must think of me after Saturday…and all I can say is sorry. I was hoping that the two of you would join me for lunch?"

After a shared look, Lois clapped her boyfriend on the back. "Clark here can but I have a lead to chase."

Swiveling his head to give Lois a look of death, which she completely ignored, Clark said out of the side of his mouth, "Sounds great Lana."

"Good," said Lana. "Now? Or should I meet you later…"

"Now's fine," replied Clark, trying desperately to hide his grimace. Fortunately, Lana didn't seem to notice. Lois, on the other hand, did. With one jab in the ribs, and a flash of a smile, she bid the two goodbye, declaring that she hoped they just had a 'peachy' time. After sending Lois one last glare, Clark followed Lana up the stairs, out of the basement and into the bright sunlight of midday.

"So," chirped Lana spinning around. "What do you feel like eating?"

Knowing that Lana had was partial to Chinese, he almost suggested a place down the street he had discovered with Lois. Reflecting upon the times he had spent there with Lois, he bit his tongue. "There's a great deli right over there," he told her, indicating the place with a finger.

The idea seemed to settle well with her and soon the two were seated together at a table, about to partake of the deli's giant sandwiches. Lana sunk her teeth into the turkey she had ordered letting out a moan of pleasure as soon as the food was in her mouth. "This is delicious," she commented, taking another bite.

Watching her for a moment, Clark refrained from eating. In his mind, he couldn't help but recall the one time he had eaten there with Lois. She had ordered a turkey/roast beef/salami combo and had finished the sandwich, taking humongous bites, before Clark had finished his. When he had pointed out the fast consumption of the meal, she had told him that constantly running around the city in order to find a story left her famished. At the memory, he chuckled, causing Lana to stop in mid sentence.

"How is that funny?"

Pressing his lips together gave Clark a few seconds before answering. "Um…sorry Lana. I was spacing out. You were saying?"

- - - - - -

* * *

Across town, Lois stepped out of her taxi and onto the sidewalk, paying the driver while keeping an eye over her shoulder. Once the taxi pulled away from the curb, Lois smoothed down her top and headed towards the restaurant. In an effort to appear inconspicuous, she informed the hostess that she was meeting a friend there. The hostess, of course, had no reason to doubt Lois' story and soon Lois was sitting at a table conveniently located near the back of the dimly lit building. The menu soon covered most of her face. Her eyes peaked out over the top, scanning for a certain congressmen and a certain lobbyist. Sure, the two could've been friends simply sharing a nice lunch. But Lois had learned never to take anything at face value and, more importantly, never to trust a congressman. Especially one about to propose a bill that a particular lobbyist group had interests in.

"Would like anything to drink while you decide on what to eat?" came a cheery male voice.

Glancing up at the waiter, Lois refrained from shooting him a dirty look. Couldn't afford offending the help and risk getting thrown out of the establishment. It had happened one too many times in Lois' past so Lois had grown rather good at being polite, even to those who were impeding an investigation. "I'd like some coffee. And, actually, I think I'll have a starter salad while I wait for my date."

Nodding, the waiter left, taking his cheerfulness with him.

Sighing, Lois immediately returned to her former task, her eyes bouncing off every patron. Several minutes passed by before Lois gave up. Whoever had leaked that information to her had apparently been wrong. The trip amounted to nothing then and Clark was in another part of town sharing a cozy midday meal with his ex. Feeling like kicking herself, Lois was prepared to leave when a voice stopped her.

"Why, Ms. Lane. What are you doing here?"

The man who belonged to the voice slid into the seat opposite her, regarding her with eyes only half open.

All the noise around her faded away as their eyes locked. Then, slowly, she spoke the words that had flooded to her brain upon first seeing him. "So Lana was right."

- - - - - - -

* * *

Propping her chin on her hand, Lana attempted her best at polite listening.  
Unfortunately, doing so was not an easy task since all Clark wanted to talk about was his adventures with Lois. As he droned on about Lois finding herself at the wrong end of the barrel of a gun, yet again, Lana wondered if her plan to win back Clark's affections would prove successful. The light in Clark's eyes as he talked about how Lois had managed to escape the gun man, without the help of the Red Blue Blur, known to a select few as Clark Kent, led Lana to believe that her mission could only end in failure.

Seeming to realize that he had been talking too much, Clark cleared his throat, then asked Lana if she had liked her lunch.

Looking down at the barely eaten sandwich, Lana told him that she had but just wasn't feeling that hungry. Hearing countless stories about Lois and Clark made it difficult to keep anything down.

An awkward silence settled between the two before Clark, checking his watch, told her he probably should be getting back to work.

Holding in a sigh, Lana rose, discarding the sandwich she probably wouldn't get around to eating later anyway.

They made their way across the street to stand in front of the Daily Planet then each waited for the other to say the first word.

Blinking rapidly, Lana decided that it must be she who spoke. Part of her wanted to tell him that she was staying in Metropolis and hoped that they could stay in contact. But that was part of the plan and she could tell that Clark was far too much in love with Lois for the plan to work. "I'm moving," she informed without really thinking about her words.

"Moving?" Clark appeared surprised but not upset. "Where are you moving to?"

She hadn't really thought that far ahead but, suddenly, she remembered a friend who had offered to help her had she ever decided to move to his city. "Gotham. I ran into Pete some months back and he told me that he would always be willing to help me settle there."

"Sounds you have it all figured out."

Truth be told, she didn't but there was no way she would inform Clark about that piece of information. Smiling, she went up on her tiptoes to give Clark a peck of a kiss on his cheek. Holding back tears, she came back down on her feet and asked, "Even though I'll be in Gotham, do you still think we can be friends?"

"Of course," he assured her, smiling as if to emphasize his point.

Not at all happy with his answer, because she had been hoping for a strong no and a kiss to make her forget everything but him, she sent him a smile back that masked her real emotions. "So I guess I'll see you…sometime later then." Hailing a cab, she looked back, hating the "goodbye" that fell from his lips. Once in the taxi, she turned her cab, feeling a pang in her heart as Lois walked to stand beside Clark.

It seemed to be the place she belonged.

- - - - - - -

* * *

"Should I be jealous?"

Turning toward his girlfriend, Clark suppressed a smile. "Oh. You saw the kiss, did you? Well, Lois, you should be jealous. I had a wonderful time at lunch with Lana and we're thinking about resuming our relationship."

Rolling her eyes, Lois ignored his comment and grabbed his hand, interlacing her fingers with his. "What did you two talk about?"

Sensing that something else was on her mind, he skimmed over that topic, asking her, instead, what was wrong.

She hesitated a minute, then said, "Lana was right. Lex Luthor is alive and I just had lunch with him."

After the initial shock wore off, Clark asked, "You had WHAT with him?"

"Lunch. With him." A slight shiver went down Lois' spine and she moved closer to Clark, as if he could get rid of her inward chill. "The congressman wasn't there. Lex was the one who tipped me. He wanted to meet me there."

"Did he do anything to hurt you?" Clark asked, wrapping his free arm around her waist and holding even tighter to her hand.

"No. He said he wanted me to write the story about his return. I refused but couldn't tear myself without finding out if what Lana discovered was true."

"And?"

Quietly, Lois began the story of her meeting with Lex Luthor.

_"Why Ms. Lane. What are you doing here?"_

"So Lana was right."

The bald man took the other seat at the table and sent her a smile that created a chill in her bones. "That I'm alive? Yes, Lana was right about that."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she leaned back in the chair, not allowing herself to appear in the least bit intimidated by him. "You were the one who tipped me about the congressman, weren't you?"

His smile turned arrogantly smug as he rested his forearms on the table. "That's right Lois. How smart of you to figure out."

"Why did you want me to meet me here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want you to write my story."

Wary of making anything that even resembled a deal with Lex Luthor, yet knowing it would make a great story, Lois considered his offer. It only took a second for her to realize it was a bad idea. "You can write your own story," she had spat at him.

One eyebrow raised at her response. "So, Clark's gotten to you, has he? Do you realize that an interview with Lex Luthor, recently returned from the grave, would be the biggest headline of the year?"

Feeling the need to deflate his ego, she had informed of an ever bigger story. "Biggest story of the year? I do believe you're referring to the interview I will get with the Red Blue Blur."

At the mention of the super hero, Lex slammed an open palm onto the table, causing the flower centerpiece to quiver. "The Red Blue Blur? Do you even know what he is?"

"A hero," was Lois' only reply.

"A hero?" echoed Lex indignantly. "He's an alien. And I found out who he was before…" Pausing, the man had raised shaking fingers to his lips, as if to stop himself from any further comment he might've made.

Unfortunately for him, Lois already knew. "Before you transferred all your memories to your new body?" His eyes narrowed at him but Lois wasn't about to stop. "Lana's info revealed that the real Lex Luthor is dead and that you are just a clone. Too bad not all of your memories were implanted. You've got holes up there, don't you Lex?"

Growing angrier by the second, but keeping himself from anymore outbursts that would only dray attention, Lex's eyes bored into Lois'. "You would never be able to prove any of that."

"I don't care to. The world isn't interested in the resurrection story of a billionaire madman anyway. As I said before, the Red Blue Blur is more popular. More popular than you'll ever be."

A storm was brewing behind Lex's eyes but he held it at bay. Standing, he gave her one last disdainful look before leaving without another word.

After he had gone, Lois let out a deep breath then unclenched the hands that she held tightly in her lap throughout the whole conversation with Lex. It was clear now who had kidnapped her in order to get the attention of the Red Blue Blur. It could only have been Lex.

"Are you sure?" Clark asked when Lois had finished telling him about her ordeal at lunch. "Sure that it was Lex?"

"Who else could it have been? He thinks the Red Blue Blur is an alien and is clearly jealous of him. I was the bait to trap our favorite superhero."

Swallowing, Clark nodded his head, though inside he was boiling at the thought of Lex trying to harm his Lois, especially in order to find out Clark's secret identity. "We should get back to work." Placing a hand on the small of her back, he guided her toward the entrance of the building.

Perplexed by Clark's lack of interest in the subject, Lois scrunched her brow, only to come to a stop, Clark bumping into her from behind, as the very person they had just been discussing appeared before him, Cat Grant close by his side.

"We meet again Ms. Lane," Lex said, completely ignoring Clark.

"Hi Lois, Clark," Cat sang, grinning at the two of them. "Guess which journalist will be writing tomorrow's top story?"

At Lois' face becoming stone, Lex stepped forward and placed a hand on Lois' arm. "You had your chance Lois. But if you ever want to meet over dinner for different reasons, I'm always available."

Puffing out his chest, Clark claimed Lois' arm from Lex and almost whispered, "She won't be interested."

Annoyed, Lois pulled her arm away from Clark and crossed both arms over her chest. "I can speak for myself." Looking at Lex, she narrowed her eyes. "I would never be interested and not just because I'm dating Clark."

Amused at the prospect of Lois and Clark being a couple, Lex let out a hoot of laughter. "It can't be! Lois and Clark? Together?"

"It can be and it is," said Lois firmly, taking Clark's hand and leading him away.

They hadn't gotten far when Clark brought them both a halt, grabbing her free hand with his. "I love it when you're possessive," he told her, leaning in to give her a kiss, not pausing to consider that Lois had never before been overtly possessive of him.

Grinning, she released his hands only to connect hers behind his neck. "I guess I should be possessive more often then…"

**_The Lana situation was a little anti-climactic, I know, but I don't like tons of angst. Anyway, it was more fun to have her be hopeless because Clark loves Lois so much more than he ever loved Lana... But Clark STILL hasn't told Lois the truth... _**


End file.
